SoundMat 3 Plus and SoundMat 2 Plus Floor Soundproofing Solutions Product Overview

[@SalimChorfi]

Hello, very interesting video, we are currently in the middle of a renovation project and are trying to soundproof the floors as much as possible. We discovered a solid wood subfloor when removing the floor. We will install plywood on top of it and a 9mm rubber mat before installing our engineer wood floor. What level of soundproofing should we except especially for airborne sound and what else could we do without removing the solid wood and adding sound insulation materials between the joist. Thank you!

[@SoundproofingStore]

Hi Thank you for your comment. It's very difficult to say, it really depends on many factors such as what the 9mm mat is that you are planning to use, and what is on the ceiling below, but not using acoustic mineral wool bewteen the joists will certainly limit your results if you are tyring to soundproof as much as possible. The main thing you need to do is increase the mass. So personally I wouldn't use a 9mm mat, I would use our 15mm SoundMat 3 Plus. I would also say it was worth lifting the floors and installing the wool if you want to achieve the best results.

[@kevinkelleher7868]

Do they also have insulation properties if so how much

[@SoundproofingStore]

Hi @kevinkelleher7868, not sure if you have seen the answer to the question you asked on the SoundMat 3 Plus Installation video? The SoundMat 3 Plus will increase the thermal performance of the floor to some degree but obviously isn't designed or tested specifically for thermal performance. There is a little info about the thermal performance of each layer of the SoundMat in our product brochure which you can download from here - www.soundproofingstore.co.uk/soundmat-3-plus

[@kevinkelleher7868]

Thanks . I was just wondering if this product could be used for both sound deading and insulation in a van conversion.

[@SoundproofingStore]

Hi @@kevinkelleher7868 the SoundMat's aren't really designed for this and might be a bit more tricky to install around certain areas with curves and more awkward areas. (Although simple enough to potentially install on the floor of the van). It might be worth looking at FlexiSound kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJfJeXl3i8yXfas which is a very heavy, very thin, self-adhesive acoustic membrane. FlexiSound helps to reduce sound transmission and is more flexible, so might be easier for you to install inside the van.

[@Omnicient.]

Video is easy to understand and not produced in an overly technical way. I take it there's no discernible difference in sound/noise reduction in both mats (one vs the other)? If someone could answer in percentages such as one mat reduces mid range noise (voices/music) by 55% and adding another mat on top increases that to around 62%? I have an old concrete floor in a flat within a 100 year old block; voices and tv sounds are the problem though they're not at an outrageous level; I'd say about mid way point between loud and muffled. Is it possible to just have the mat3 on my kitchen and bathroom floor with nothing on top such as carpet or vinyl as I don't want to be out any further costs afterwards? My living room, bedroom and tiny hall has carpet; I take it the men who lay the mats will remove the carpets and put the carpet back down after installation? Would they also move a washing machine to put the mat under it? Are there mats now or in the near future that could almost eradicate all noise 'from downstairs' or if not are there mats now or in the near future with the capabilities to reduce noise to 70% or higher? Thanks!

[@SoundproofingStore]

Hi Omniscient - Thank you for the kind comment. We try to break down what is a very complex topic as simple as we can for people. Unfortunately your question is very difficult to answer. Its far more complex than just giving a percentage when trying to estimate performance for somebodies personal circumstances. What soundproofing is doing is upgrading the current construction, so the percentage improvement of the product changes depending on what the existing structure is already doing. Then you have to factor in the volume of the noise problem, i.e the same product isn't going to reduce 120dB of a live rock band by the same percentage as the 50dB of a conversation. Then we have to factor in frequency (pitch), that we get different improvements for different pitches of sound. So to try and strip all of this back to basics, sound is predominantly blocked by mass, as the SoundMat 3 Plus has double the mass of the SoundMat 2 Plus, it is going to block a higher level of airborne sound. When we have tested both products on the same construction (timber floor, with mineral wool and the same ceiling construction), the SoundMat 3 Plus out performed the SoundMat 2 Plus by 9dB (using a standardised building regs test at 100dB). Average human hearing perceives every 10dB reduced as a halving of volume. So that is a pretty significant upgrade in performance. However, you may not get as big a difference as your construction is concrete and already has a higher level of mass. I hope this has been helpful. Please feel free to give me a call though if you want to discuss it in more detail.

[@Omnicient.]

I would ask if 'human hearing perceives every 10dB reduced as a halving of volume' is also in regards to concrete but it is regarding wooden floors? Taking into account a 100 year old concrete floor in three storey block of flats: if 10db means halving of noise (again only concentre re floors) what does 29db accomplish? I'm no good with mathematics so I often have to ask basic questions as the 'logic' contained in mathematics is often baffling. What DB the 3 plus mats would have re concrete floors? The 3plus reduces noise (concrete floors not wooden floors) by...? And if it reduces the noise by say 30db does that equate to three halves? As you said 10db equates to a halving of noise? As you can see I'm useless with maths and trying to compose this in a way that is my logic but not necessarily yours. Let me try to simplify: 10dbs equals a halving of noise thru a concrete floor; try and keep away from mentioning wooden floors. If 10 means a halving of noise levels then 30 means...? Also do some people have two layers of 3 and if yes what are the results re concrete? Thanks.

[@SoundproofingStore]

@@Omnicient. It can be very difficult to get your head around the maths, even for me doing it every day! But basically if a product is saying it reduces 30dB, 40dB etc, this is generally referring to the performance of the full build up. In other words the concrete and the product combined. So the concrete is probably already performing at say 35dB. So the addition of the product getting up to 45dB means you have had a 10dB improvement. That's your halving of volume. Realistically you're not going to have a product that gives 30dB of improvement, only total performance. Again, this is why its difficult to estimate because we don't know how many dB your concrete floor currently reduces before adding soundproofing. But theoretically yes, if you could improve performance by 30dB, this is like halving the noise, then halving that remaining noise, then halving that remaining noise again (3 x halving). But every "halving" gets smaller because the volume left is smaller every time. So there is a law of diminishing returns. No we don't recommend doubling the product. Practically it doesn't work because your floor is then too soft to use. And scientifically it gives you little extra performance for the cost to keep adding layers of the same material. If you need better performance there are better ways to upgrade then using the same product again.

[@Omnicient.]

Thanks for your response; all food for thought; there was another mat I had been looking at online and was told it could be doubled; it came in a long covering strip and I assume you cut it as you wished; it's called 'Advanced Acoustics Soundproofing Mat' (3m by 1.25m by 2mm Thin - 5kg/m2 Mass Loaded Vinyl). I also looked at screening which is on your website. Any feedback regards its performance vs matt3? and again taking into consideration a 100 year old concrete floor which I assume wouldn't have the density of floors made in the last 50 years. I also have to add that looking online re this building I notice long narrow empty tubes running through part of the concrete though I'm unsure what their purpose is; maybe they were in place as a kind of noise/sound reduction or soundproofing? I understand that all numbers are related to the mats and the floor working in unison. My feeling is the floor is only reducing noise by 25 to 30db taking into account how old it is; adding mat3 gives us 10db on top and that still gives a half reduction of noise? Cost is a factor but what other solutions could you recommend and even solutions that could outperform mat3?

[@SoundproofingStore]

@@Omnicient. This is getting a little too long and detailed to keep going on youtube comments. Best thing to do is email me [e-mail] and we can go into more specific detail about your situation

[@JoJo-xb7do]

These mats don't work for impact sound on timber floors.

[@SoundproofingStore]

Hi Jo Jo - I can tell you they definitely do work for impact sound on timber floors. They are thoroughly tested both in an independent acoustic lab, in the real world on sites, and we have had thousands of past customers who have achieved great results on timber joist constructions.

[@crowx3077]

They don't work on concrete floors either iv just used these in my flat and they are completely useless and have made no difference complete waste of money..

[@Dazzaelite]

I’m very interested in this product but now after reading this review I’m sceptical 😢 I’ve just bought a mid terraced house and there is no sound proofing between the ground and first floors. I was looking to put this product down on the floors so not to hear my kids walking around, dropping items or tv noise, plus the cats are pretty noisy running around upstairs 😀